AirPods Pro (1st Gen) After 4 Years Review (2026)

Introduction

The first time I turned on Active Noise Cancellation on the AirPods Pro, I finally understood what all the hype was about. The outside world seemed to fade away, and I immediately knew these weren’t just another pair of wireless earbuds.

I bought the AirPods Pro (1st Gen) in September 2022, after already using the AirPods (2nd Gen). My main reason for upgrading wasn’t simply to get a newer pair of AirPods—I wanted to experience Apple’s ANC for myself and see whether it really was as impressive as people claimed. I also wanted to find out how much better the sound quality would be.

I paid ₹15,990 for the AirPods Pro with the MagSafe Charging Case on Flipkart. What followed was nearly four years of heavy daily use. I used them for around 6–7 hours a day—for music, movies, calls, gaming, travel, and workouts.

And for a long time, they genuinely impressed me. The ANC remained my favourite feature, the sound quality held up well, and the overall experience fit effortlessly into my daily routine.

But four years of ownership also changed my perspective.

The battery has degraded significantly. The microphone is no longer as good as it once was. The ANC has become slightly weaker. The ear tips had to be replaced. And now, the right earbud no longer works properly.

So this isn’t a review based on a few weeks of testing. This is what nearly four years of living with Apple’s first Pro earbuds has actually been like—the things I still love, the things that have aged, and the disappointment that came with seeing a ₹15,990 pair of earbuds reach this point.

Why I Bought the AirPods Pro

Before buying the AirPods Pro, I was already using Apple’s AirPods (2nd Gen). They were reliable and familiar, but they didn’t offer the features I was particularly curious about—most importantly, Active Noise Cancellation.

By 2022, ANC had become one of the biggest reasons people were choosing premium wireless earbuds, and the AirPods Pro were widely praised for how effectively they could block outside noise. Rather than simply taking those claims at face value, I wanted to experience Apple’s implementation of ANC myself.

Sound quality was another reason. Since I was already familiar with the sound of the regular AirPods, I wanted to know whether moving to the Pro model would actually feel like a meaningful upgrade in everyday listening.

So, in September 2022, I bought the AirPods Pro (1st Gen) with the MagSafe Charging Case from Flipkart for around ₹15,990.

Looking back, the decision was largely driven by curiosity. I wanted to know whether Apple’s premium earbuds could actually deliver the kind of noise cancellation and listening experience people talked about so highly.

And once I switched ANC on for the first time, I didn’t have to wonder for long.

Design & Comfort After 4 Years

The AirPods Pro have held up surprisingly well physically over the past four years. Even today, they still feel like a premium pair of earbuds, and the fact that I’ve been using them for this long says a lot about the durability of their design and build.

In terms of comfort, my experience has been a little mixed. They were comfortable for the first few hours of use, but after extended listening, I would sometimes experience mild irritation and slight ear pain. This wasn’t an issue during every session, but it did become noticeable when I used them for longer periods.

The fit, however, was never really a problem during workouts. Even through an entire workout session, the AirPods Pro never fell out of my ears. They stayed securely in place, which made them reliable for exercise and other active use.

I initially used the Small ear tips, but after around two years, I switched to the Medium size. That change made the fit feel considerably more reliable for me and became my preferred setup for the remainder of my ownership.

The charging case has also aged quite well. After four years, the hinges are still strong, the lid opens and closes properly, and I haven’t experienced any problems with the Lightning charging port. Most of the visible wear is on the case itself, where scratches have started to show over time. The earbuds, on the other hand, have very few noticeable scratches.

I’d give the design and build quality 8/10 after four years. The build feels solid, the case has held up remarkably well, and even after years of daily use, the AirPods Pro still feel like a premium product. The fact that I’m still comfortable calling them a premium pair of earbuds after four years of regular use is, in itself, a pretty good reflection of how well the design has aged.

Sound Quality After 4 Years

Sound quality is one area where the AirPods Pro have aged surprisingly well, although there is one noticeable change compared with when they were new.

I listen to a mix of Hindi and English music, along with podcasts and, more regularly, audiobooks. Listening has been a part of my daily routine for years, so I’ve had plenty of time to understand how these earbuds actually sound in everyday use rather than judging them after a few listening sessions.

The first thing I still like about the AirPods Pro is their balanced sound signature. The bass feels deep and punchy without becoming unnecessarily heavy or overpowering. Vocals remain clear and natural, and I can still distinguish vocals from instruments quite easily. Even at higher volumes, I haven’t noticed any distortion, which is impressive after four years of regular use.

However, there is one change that I can’t ignore: the overall loudness doesn’t feel the same anymore. When the AirPods Pro were new, I could comfortably listen at around 40–50% volume with ANC enabled and still get the listening experience I wanted. Today, I generally need around 75–80% volume for a similar experience. Even in a relatively quiet environment, I find myself keeping the volume around 60% to hear everything properly.

That doesn’t mean the sound has suddenly become bad. The bass is still satisfying, vocals are still clear, and there is no obvious distortion. It’s more that the earbuds no longer feel as loud and effortless as they once did. For a product I’ve used heavily for nearly four years, that difference is noticeable.

Interestingly, if I had to name the things I still appreciate most about the overall listening experience, I’d point to ANC and Transparency Mode. They aren’t technically part of sound quality itself, but they have a huge impact on how I experience music, audiobooks, and everything else through these earbuds.

My Rating: 8.5/10

After four years, I’d still give the AirPods Pro 8.5/10 for sound quality. The slight loss in perceived loudness prevents me from giving them a higher score, but the balanced bass, clear vocals, good instrument separation, and lack of noticeable distortion have helped the sound quality age remarkably well.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

If there is one feature that convinced me to buy the AirPods Pro in the first place, it was Active Noise Cancellation. And after nearly four years of daily use, I can confidently say that it lived up to the expectations I had when I bought them.

I still remember the first time I switched ANC on. The sound of a fan or AC would almost disappear instantly, while conversations happening around me could feel roughly 90% quieter. It genuinely felt a little magical the first few times I used it.

Traffic noise was reduced significantly as well, although it never completely disappeared—and honestly, I wouldn’t want it to. Some awareness of your surroundings is important, especially when you’re outside. On trains, however, the ANC impressed me even more. It could suppress so much of the surrounding noise that I sometimes stopped noticing how crowded and noisy the train actually was.

After four years, though, I can clearly tell that the ANC isn’t quite as strong as it used to be.

It’s not bad by any means. Fan and AC noise are still suppressed very effectively, and conversations around me are still significantly reduced. But when I’m somewhere with loud, chaotic background noise, the AirPods Pro no longer isolate me as effectively as they did when they were new.

Travel has probably been the best real-world test of this feature for me. I’ve used the AirPods Pro extensively on trains, metros, and buses, and in almost every situation, the ANC has done its job remarkably well. It has been particularly effective at reducing the kind of constant background or white noise you encounter during travel, making long journeys much more comfortable.

During workouts, however, I usually preferred Transparency Mode over ANC. Being able to hear what’s happening around me felt more useful while exercising. And as I’ll explain in the next section, Transparency Mode has remained another surprisingly strong part of the AirPods Pro experience even after four years.

My Rating: 8/10

I’d give the ANC 8/10 today. It has weakened somewhat compared with when the AirPods Pro were new, but it still performs very well in everyday situations. More importantly, after nearly four years of use, I can say that the impressive ANC Apple promised wasn’t just marketing hype—it genuinely became one of the most useful features of these earbuds in my daily life.

Transparency Mode After 4 Years

If ANC was the feature that convinced me to buy the AirPods Pro, Transparency Mode is the feature that has aged the best.

I started using Transparency Mode mainly during workouts, where being aware of my surroundings was more useful than completely blocking them out. Instead of constantly switching between taking the earbuds out and putting them back in, I could simply turn Transparency Mode on and continue what I was doing while still hearing what was happening around me.

I also found it useful at home when talking to someone. There were times when I would simply leave the AirPods Pro in my ears and switch to Transparency Mode so I could follow the conversation without having to remove them.

What has impressed me most is how natural it continues to sound even after nearly four years. I haven’t experienced any noticeable artificial, processed, or metallic quality in the sound. Voices still sound natural to me, and the outside world comes through clearly enough that I rarely feel like I’m listening to it through microphones.

Unlike the ANC, where I can notice a small decline compared with when the AirPods Pro were new, Transparency Mode still feels just as strong to me as it did earlier. That’s particularly impressive considering how heavily I’ve used these earbuds over the years.

My Rating: 10/10

I’d give Transparency Mode a 10/10 after four years. It remains one of the features I appreciate most about the AirPods Pro, and unlike some other aspects of the earbuds, I don’t feel that it has aged noticeably.

Four years later, this is one feature I still wouldn’t want to give up.

Call & Microphone Quality After 4 Years

The microphone performance of the AirPods Pro has changed more noticeably than the sound quality over the past four years.

When the AirPods Pro were new, I had no complaints about the microphone. My voice sounded clear and loud on calls, and the people I spoke to could hear me without asking me to repeat myself or speak louder.

After nearly four years, things are different. The microphone still works and I can make calls normally, but the voice output isn’t as strong as it used to be. The difference becomes particularly noticeable in somewhat noisy environments. There have been several occasions when the person on the other end has asked me to speak a little louder because my voice wasn’t coming through clearly enough.

Indoor calls are generally better. At home, the microphone still manages to deliver a reasonably clear voice. Outdoors, however, the difference compared with when the AirPods Pro were new is more noticeable, and my voice doesn’t come across as loud as it once did.

Interestingly, this degradation hasn’t been severe enough to make me stop using the AirPods Pro for calls. I still use them when needed because calls generally work fine. Apart from the lower voice output, I haven’t experienced another major microphone-related problem.

My Rating: 7/10

I’d give the microphone and call quality 7/10 after four years. It’s still usable for everyday calls, but the noticeable reduction in voice loudness—especially in noisier surroundings—means it no longer performs at the level it did when the AirPods Pro were new.

Battery Life After 4 Years

Battery life is probably the clearest sign of how much the AirPods Pro have aged over the past four years.

When they were new, I could comfortably get around 4–5 hours of use on a single charge. With Active Noise Cancellation turned on, that figure was closer to 2.5–3 hours, which was generally enough for my regular listening sessions.

The decline became noticeable at around the two-year mark. It wasn’t something that happened overnight, but over time I started noticing that the earbuds simply weren’t lasting as long as they used to.

Today, after nearly four years of use, the difference is quite significant. With ANC turned on, I get only around 1.5–2 hours of continuous use from the earbuds. 

The battery doesn’t suddenly drop from, say, 30% to 10%, which is a good thing. However, I would still describe the battery drain as fast compared with when the AirPods Pro were new.

The charging case has also lost some of its original capacity, although it can still recharge the earbuds around three times before the case itself needs to be charged.

For someone who used these earbuds for around 6–7 hours a day, the battery degradation has become particularly noticeable. I now have to think about charging them much more often than I did during the first couple of years.

My Rating: 7/10

I’d give the battery life 7/10 after four years. The degradation is significant, especially with ANC enabled, but considering the amount of daily use these earbuds have gone through, the fact that they’re still usable for shorter listening sessions is a positive.

Still, battery life is one area where the four-year-old AirPods Pro clearly remind me that they’re no longer the same earbuds I bought in 2022.

Connectivity & Apple Ecosystem After 4 Years

Connectivity has been one of the most reliable parts of my AirPods Pro experience over the past four years.

Setting them up with my iPhone was extremely easy. Once they were paired, opening the charging case was usually enough for the AirPods Pro to connect automatically. I never experienced random disconnections, noticeable Bluetooth dropouts, audio cut-outs, or delays during regular use.

But honestly, it was the Apple ecosystem integration that made the experience feel more premium.

With my iPhone, the AirPods Pro connected quickly and automatically, while the battery status for the charging case and both earbuds could be checked separately. The controls also made everyday use much more convenient. I could switch between ANC and Transparency Mode almost instantly, control playback, and use the different controls assigned to the earbuds without reaching for my phone.

I also appreciated smaller touches such as the ear-tip fit test, which helped confirm whether the selected ear tips were providing a proper fit. These may sound like minor features individually, but together they made the AirPods Pro feel much more integrated with the iPhone rather than simply being another Bluetooth headset.

My experience with Android devices was slightly different. I occasionally had to repeat the pairing process before the AirPods Pro would connect properly. It wasn’t a constant problem, but it was something I noticed from time to time.

Interestingly, despite the battery degradation, microphone issues, and the problems that have appeared after years of use, connectivity itself has remained remarkably dependable.

My Rating: 9/10

I’d give the connectivity and Apple ecosystem experience 9/10 after four years. The occasional Android pairing issue prevents a perfect score, but when used with an iPhone, the combination of automatic connection, reliable Bluetooth performance, battery information, controls, and Apple’s ecosystem integration continues to make the AirPods Pro feel like a premium product.

Gaming, Travel & Workout Experience

Over the past four years, the AirPods Pro have been a part of much more than just my music-listening routine. I’ve used them for gaming, travelling, and workouts, and each of these situations gave me a slightly different reason to appreciate them.

For gaming, I mostly played mobile games such as Call of Duty, Harry Potter, and some racing games. I never noticed any meaningful audio delay while playing the games I used to play. Sounds remained in sync with what was happening on screen, so the AirPods Pro were perfectly usable for my casual gaming needs.

Travel has probably been one of my most frequent use cases. I used the AirPods Pro mostly on buses and trains, usually with ANC turned on while listening to music. The combination worked particularly well for me because the ANC helped reduce the constant background noise while music made longer journeys more enjoyable. Despite using them for extended periods during travel, battery limitations never really bothered me at the time.

Workouts were another area where the AirPods Pro performed reliably. The fit remained secure throughout my workout sessions, and sweat never caused me any noticeable problem. Although I had no issue using ANC while exercising, I usually preferred Transparency Mode because I wanted to remain aware of what was happening around me. Being able to hear my surroundings without removing the earbuds made more sense to me during workouts.

Overall, these different use cases reinforced something I had already noticed during everyday listening: the AirPods Pro were versatile enough to fit into almost every part of my routine. Whether I was playing a game, travelling on a noisy bus, or working out, they rarely felt out of place.

Durability & Wear After 4 Years

Physically, the AirPods Pro have held up better than I expected over nearly four years of daily use. The earbuds themselves have very few visible scratches, while the charging case has accumulated noticeable scratches over time. Considering how often I carried and used the case, I don’t find that particularly surprising.

More importantly, the charging case itself has remained mechanically reliable. The hinges are still strong, the lid opens and closes properly, and the Lightning charging port hasn’t given me any trouble even after four years.

The ear tips did eventually become loose, but that was easy enough to deal with. I initially used the Small tips and moved to the Medium size after around two years, which actually gave me a more reliable fit. I haven’t had any major issue with the replacement tips since then.

Unfortunately, the biggest durability problem came from the right earbud.

The issue first started around May or June 2024. Initially, the right earbud would work intermittently and give me trouble from time to time. Eventually, however, the problem became permanent. Today, the right earbud is completely dead and doesn’t work at all, while the left earbud continues to work normally.

I never got the right earbud repaired or checked at a service centre, so I can’t say exactly what caused the failure. But from an ownership perspective, its failure was undoubtedly disappointing. After spending ₹15,990 on a premium pair of earbuds, I expected them to last longer than this.

My Rating: 5/10

I’d give the long-term durability 5/10.

The physical build itself has aged well—the case is still functional, the hinges remain strong, the charging port works, and the earbuds have very little visible wear. But the fact that one of the two earbuds eventually became completely unusable is a significant failure for a product in this price range.

For me, that’s the biggest reason the AirPods Pro don’t get a higher durability score after four years.

What I Still Love About the AirPods Pro

Even after nearly four years, there are still several things about the AirPods Pro that I genuinely enjoy using.

The first—and probably the biggest—is Active Noise Cancellation. Although it isn’t quite as strong as it was when the earbuds were new, it still makes a noticeable difference when I’m travelling, listening to music, or simply trying to focus. 

Then there’s Transparency Mode, which has arguably aged even better. It still sounds natural to me, and I can use it without feeling like I’m listening to the outside world through microphones. During workouts or while talking to someone at home, being able to hear what’s happening around me without removing the earbuds remains incredibly convenient.

I also still appreciate the sound quality. The overall loudness has decreased over the years, but the character of the sound hasn’t changed dramatically for me. The bass remains deep and punchy without becoming overly heavy, vocals sound clear and natural, and I can still distinguish vocals from instruments easily.

Another thing I continue to appreciate is the iPhone integration. The quick automatic connection, separate battery status for the earbuds and case, convenient controls, and features such as the ear-tip fit test make the AirPods Pro feel much more seamless with an iPhone than a generic Bluetooth headset.

And finally, the physical design has aged well. Despite four years of heavy use, the earbuds themselves have very few visible scratches, while the charging case still has strong hinges, a properly functioning lid, and a working charging port.

So, despite everything that has gone wrong over the years, I still understand why I enjoyed using these earbuds for so long.

They haven’t aged perfectly, but the features that made me love them in the first place—especially ANC, Transparency Mode, sound quality, and the Apple ecosystem—are still very much a part of the experience.

What Hasn’t Aged Well

1. Right earbud

The biggest disappointment is undoubtedly the right earbud. What started as an intermittent problem around May or June 2024 eventually turned into a complete failure. Today, the right earbud is completely dead, while the left one continues to work normally.

2. Battery

Battery life is another area where the age of the AirPods Pro is now impossible to ignore. With ANC enabled, I used to get around 2.5–3 hours when they were new. Today, that has dropped to roughly 1.5–2 hours.

3. Microphone

The microphone has also lost some of its original performance. It still works, but in noisier environments my voice doesn’t come through as loudly as it once did, and I sometimes have to speak louder during calls.

4. ANC

Even ANC, which was the main reason I bought the AirPods Pro, has weakened slightly over the years. It still performs very well, but it doesn’t suppress louder, more chaotic background noise quite as effectively as it did when the earbuds were new.

These issues don’t erase everything the AirPods Pro have done well. But together, they explain why my opinion has become more mixed after four years.

The AirPods Pro still feel premium in many ways, but their age has become impossible to hide.

⭐ Overall Rating: 8/10

After nearly four years of daily use, I’d give the AirPods Pro (1st Gen) an overall rating of 8/10.

That score might seem slightly surprising when you consider that the right earbud has completely stopped working and the battery has degraded significantly. But the overall experience has been more than just those problems.

The sound quality is still very good, with deep and punchy bass, clear vocals, and no noticeable distortion at high volume. Transparency Mode remains excellent, and I’d still give it 10/10 based on my experience. ANC is slightly weaker than it was when new, but it remains one of the most useful features of these earbuds. The Apple ecosystem integration has also remained remarkably reliable, especially with an iPhone.

At the same time, I can’t ignore the negatives. Battery life has dropped considerably, the microphone isn’t as loud as it once was, the ANC has weakened slightly, and most importantly, the right earbud eventually became completely unusable.

So, 8/10 feels like the fairest overall score to me. The AirPods Pro have aged noticeably, but even after nearly four years, there are still enough things they do exceptionally well to make the overall experience memorable.

Four years later, I wouldn’t call them perfect—but I can still understand why I enjoyed using them for so long.

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📊 Final Scorecard

Category	Rating
Design & Build	8/10
Sound Quality	8.5/10
ANC	8/10
Transparency Mode	10/10
Call & Microphone	7/10
Battery Life	7/10
Connectivity & Apple Ecosystem	9/10
Long-Term Durability	5/10
Overall	8/10

Final Verdict

After nearly four years with the AirPods Pro (1st Gen), my feelings about them are a little complicated.

When I bought them in September 2022 for ₹15,990, I was mainly curious about two things: how good Apple’s ANC really was and whether the sound quality would justify moving up from my AirPods (2nd Gen). In both areas, the AirPods Pro impressed me. The ANC was genuinely excellent, the sound quality remained enjoyable, and features like Transparency Mode and seamless iPhone integration made them a pleasure to use every day.

And even after four years, some of those strengths are still there. The sound remains good, Transparency Mode is still outstanding, ANC continues to be very useful, and the Apple ecosystem integration remains one of the best parts of the experience.

But longevity is where my expectations weren’t completely met.

The battery has degraded considerably, the microphone isn’t as loud as it used to be, ANC has become slightly weaker, and the biggest disappointment is the right earbud, which eventually stopped working altogether. Considering how much I paid for them, I expected them to remain fully functional for longer.

So, would I call the AirPods Pro (1st Gen) a good purchase? Yes—but with an important caveat. They gave me nearly four years of heavy daily use and became a regular part of my routine. At the same time, the hardware degradation and the failure of one earbud have made it difficult for me to consider them a truly long-lasting product.

After four years, I still like the AirPods Pro. I just don’t feel the same confidence in their longevity that I had when I first bought them.

That’s ultimately what makes this a bittersweet long-term experience. The features that made me fall in love with these earbuds are still the things I appreciate most today, but the age of the product is now clearly visible—and I’m ready for a new pair.

Final Rating: 8/10

The AirPods Pro (1st Gen) may no longer be perfect after four years, but they remain a memorable pair of earbuds that delivered a genuinely premium experience for a significant part of their life.